Service difficulty report · Life Raft · Bombdr BD1001A10

Difficulty date
May 30, 2020
Submitted
June 1, 2020
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N351VJ
Make and model
Bombdr BD1001A10
Aircraft serial
20573
Aircraft time
3,033 hours, 1,544 cycles
System (JASC)
2564 · Life Raft
Part
Life Raft
Part number
46FASA6K21201
Part serial
4UL03160
Condition
Unwanted Deploy
Location
Cabin
Part time
767 cycles
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR INTO CRUISE FLIGHT, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BANG IN THE CABIN. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER LOUD POPPING SOUNDS REPORTED AFTER THE INITIAL BANG. ONE OF THE PILOTS WENT BACK TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THE FORWARD RIGHT SIDE LIFE RAFT WAS TRYING TO DEPLOY WITHIN ITS STOWAGE COMPARTMENT. THE SECONDARY SOUNDS WERE OF THE STOWAGE CABINET BREAKING APART AND SEPARATING FROM THE GALLEY SIDE WALL. THE CREW INSTRUCTED THE PASSENGERS TO RELOCATE TO THE AFT MOST SEATS IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE CREW DIVERTED TO KCHS AND AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. CREW AND PASSENGERS SAFELY DEPLANED THE AIRCRAFT.